Ahmad Faizal said to be named KTMB chairman

by AFIQ AZIZ / Pic by BERNAMA

FORMER Perak Mentri Besar (MB) Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu (picture) is expected to be appointed as the next Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) chairman from next month, said three sources.

One of them told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR) that Ahmad Faizal, who is also Tambun MP, would succeed Datuk Dr Rameli Musa, whose contract will expire at the end of this month.

Rameli, who is also the executive vice chairman and non-independent ED of Ingress Corp Bhd, was appointed KTMB chairman in February 2019.

“The contract is out for Ahmad Faizal to replace Rameli effective March 1,” said an industry source.

However, another source said it is still not known whether Ahmad Faizal has accepted the offer. Ahmad Faizal, who is also the deputy president of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia, however, denied the information.

“I do not have such information,” he told TMR in a text reply. Ahmad Faizal resigned from his MB post last December after losing a motion of confidence at the state assembly.

KTMB is a wholly owned company of the Minister of Finance Inc — a subsidiary of the Finance Ministry (MoF) — with its train and rail operation regulated by the Transport Ministry (MoT).

MoT and KTMB declined to comment on the matter as it falls under MoF’s jurisdiction. MoF said it cannot comment on speculation.

Rameli, who was formerly chairman of Balfour Beatty Rail Sdn Bhd (BBRail) replaced former Langkawi

MP Datuk Nawawi Ahmad who announced his resignation as the company’s chairman in July 2018, after Barisan Nasional suffered a crushing defeat in the May 2018 elections.

Prior to his appointment, Rameli had been involved in several railway projects, such as the Klang Valley Double Track, Rawang-Ipoh Double Track and the Northern Double Track through BBRail.